ChasingBlueSky 0 #1 May 26, 2004 This makes sense...after all, its been proven that an attack in an election year can have an affect on who wins elesewhere in the world and there have been threats in other countries since that. Ridge Reveals Terror Threat Against U.S. By CURT ANDERSON, Associated Press Writer WASHINGTON - Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge said Wednesday that new information on a terrorist threat against the United States "talks about an attack" but said there is no need to raise the national alert level. "I can confirm that we have seen for the past several weeks a continuous stream of reporting that talks about the possibility of attacks on the United States," he said, "but not unlike what we've seen for the past several years." Appearing on morning television news shows in advance of a news conference scheduled later Wednesday by Attorney General John Ashcroft (news - web sites) and FBI (news - web sites) Director Robert Mueller, Ridge said of potential terrorists on U.S. soil: "It's our job, obviously, to try to identify who they are and apprehend them." U.S. counterterrorism and law enforcement officials had said Tuesday that new intelligence indicates that a group of terrorists already deployed inside the United States is preparing to launch a major attack this summer. This information was described by a senior counterterrorism official on condition of anonymity as extremely credible and backed by an unusually high level of corroboration. But Ridge, interviewed on NBC's "Today" show, said there are no current plans to lift the national alert status from Code Yellow, where it currently stands. That's the midlevel alert level on a five-step warning program, higher than green and blue but lower than orange and red. "First of all, every day we take a look at the overall threat reporting that we receive," Ridge said. "There's not a consensus within the administration that we need to raise the threat level. ... We do not need to raise the threat level to increase security. Right now, there's no need to put the entire country on a (elevated) national alert." "At some of the higher-profile events, you had better believe there will be additional security," Ridge said on CBS's "The Early Show." The intelligence does not include a time, place or method of attack but is among the most disturbing received by the government since the al-Qaida attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, the senior counterterrorism official said. "There is clearly a steady drumbeat of information that they are going to attack and hit us hard," the official said. Ashcroft and Mueller were to outline an intensive effort by law enforcement, intelligence and homeland security officials to detect and disrupt any potential plots. And the FBI was dispatching a bulletin to some 18,000 state and local law enforcement agencies warning of the threat. Beginning with Saturday's dedication of the new World War II Memorial in Washington, the summer presents a number of high-profile targets in the United States. They include the G-8 summit in Georgia next month that will attract top officials from some of America's closest allies, plus the Democratic National Convention in Boston in July and the Republican National Convention in August in New York City. The FBI and Homeland Security Department also are concerned about so-called soft targets such as shopping malls anywhere in the United States that offer a far less protected environment than a political convention hall. Of special concern, the counterterrorism official said, is the possibility that terrorists may possess and use a chemical, biological or radiological weapon that could cause much more damage and casualties than a conventional bomb. Los Angeles police held a news conference Tuesday to reassure the public. "We would be foolhardy to ignore those statements, but I think it would be irresponsible to panic," said John Miller, head of the LAPD (news - web sites) counterterrorism bureau. New York Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said city officials had not been advised that terrorists were plotting an attack there. "We are receiving highly sensitive intelligence information on a regular basis, including today, and there is nothing in that reporting to indicate a specific threat or looming attack against New York City," Kelly said in a statement late Tuesday. The FBI already has created a special task force that is focused solely on dealing with this summer's threat. The task force, whose existence until recently was classified, is intended to ensure that no valuable bits of information or intelligence fall through the cracks, as happened before the Sept. 11 attacks. Other actions to be taken include new FBI interviews with people who may have provided valuable information in the past, distribution of photos of individuals sought for questioning and a fresh examination of older investigative leads to determine whether they might point to elements of the summer plot. U.S. authorities have said repeatedly that al-Qaida is determined to mount an attack on U.S. soil, in part to announce to the world that it remains capable of doing so despite the money and effort that has gone into homeland security since the Sept. 11 attacks. There also is concern terrorists might try to mount an attack to coincide with the November election. The political fallout from the March 11 train bombings in Spain taught al-Qaida that an attack timed to an election can have a major impact. Spain's former ruling party was ousted in the voting that followed the bombing, which killed 191 and injured more than 2,000. The official did not say how many suspected al-Qaida or other terrorist operatives are believed in the country, whether they made their way into the United States recently or have been here for some time. Special security attention already is being focused to the nation's rail, subway and bus lines._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skyrad 0 #2 May 26, 2004 Summary...................SNAFUWhen an author is too meticulous about his style, you may presume that his mind is frivolous and his content flimsy. Lucius Annaeus Seneca Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
jannu 0 #4 May 26, 2004 you could be hit that's right... No wonder though looking at your countrys way of handling things... Sorry.. just woke up and needed to tell you what I think of your leader(s).. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #5 May 26, 2004 Quoteyou could be hit that's right... No wonder though looking at your countrys way of handling things... Sorry.. just woke up and needed to tell you what I think of your leader(s).. I didn't vote for my leaders. I don't support them, nor do they represent me._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
freeflydrew 0 #6 May 26, 2004 i second that... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #7 May 26, 2004 QuoteI didn't vote for my leaders. I don't support them, nor do they represent me. Sorry Bo, but they're in office now so they DO represent you. They may not be doing what you want but they DO represent you. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #8 May 26, 2004 QuoteSNAFU? Situation Normal. All Fucked Up. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Botellines 0 #9 May 26, 2004 Quotei second that... Well, if no one voted him, then how come is he president? Uhmmm, errrr, Florida, ehem ehem, Jed Bush... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #10 May 26, 2004 QuoteQuoteI didn't vote for my leaders. I don't support them, nor do they represent me. Sorry Bo, but they're in office now so they DO represent you. They may not be doing what you want but they DO represent you. Not by choice, and according to his approval rating he isn't doing what most of the country wants. I don't care what the semantics are, GW Bush does not represent me. In fact, I am embarrassed and disgusted at what he has done with this country. GWB is not "my" president, and never will be._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #11 May 26, 2004 QuoteGWB is not "my" president, and never will be. So who is your president? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #12 May 26, 2004 QuoteQuoteGWB is not "my" president, and never will be. So who is your president? you continue to go down the semantics line? geez. you can play that game all day, but my opinion is not changing. so nick pick this reply as well: Um, no one. I don't recognize him as the Pres, I feel the election was a sham, and the future election will be as well with the eVote devices (google to find out why, I think it has been discussed here as well). At the moment, I feel that this country would be better off with no one in the white house than GWB. How is that, I feel anarchy would be better than GWB. Also - I don't support Kerry either, I think he is just as big as a joke, but he will get my vote simply because he is not bush and there are no other options. Lesser of two evils._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
diverdriver 5 #13 May 26, 2004 Bo, I don't like GWB either but simply saying "he's not MY president" is just silly. He IS your president and it is NOT semantics? Take a breath man. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #14 May 26, 2004 Oh my god!!!!!! How long do you think it took Ridge to come up with that whole color chart that everyone ignores because everyone knows we could be hit at anytime and there's not a damn thing to be done about it by the average person. Quick, everybody panic, life results in death!!!!!!! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Casurf1978 0 #15 May 26, 2004 I love this admin, "We don't know when, we dont know where, we dont know by whom, but we are in grave danger of another attack." How many times have they said that same thing, followed by, "We cant give out the source, nor do we want to start a panic." IMHO the threat this summer is in Athens. 1.Olympic games being held there add that most of the buildings are still under construction way behind schedule, 2. poor track record of dealing with domestic and intl terrorist, and 3. they have many domestic radical groups that could be easily influenced and seek support from AQ. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jib 0 #16 May 26, 2004 QuoteUm, no one. I don't recognize him as the Pres, I feel the election was a sham... Why was it a sham? Gore lost Florida any way you slice it or however many chads you count. Get over it. -------------------------------------------------- the depth of his depravity sickens me. -- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
turtlespeed 212 #17 May 26, 2004 NEWS FLASH We could be "Hit" at any given moment. Terrorists do not rely on election schedules.I'm not usually into the whole 3-way thing, but you got me a little excited with that. - Skymama BTR #1 / OTB^5 Official #2 / Hellfish #408 / VSCR #108/Tortuga/Orfun Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #18 May 26, 2004 QuoteWhy was it a sham? Gore lost Florida any way you slice it or however many chads you count. Get over it. I'm over it, but, there's more to it than the number of votes. There were a whole lot of minorities that weren't even given the opportunity to screw up their ballot because their names were stricken from the rosters if they happened to have the same name as a convictred felon. For anyone who doesn't think that elections are still rigged in this country, come to Philly this November. I'll take you to where the S. Philly Italians line up to block the path of blacks on the way to the polls. You can ride along with union members who pick up people on the street and pay them to vote, and you can meet the guy who fire bombed a mayoral candidates office. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Gawain 0 #19 May 26, 2004 QuoteNEWS FLASH We could be "Hit" at any given moment. Terrorists do not rely on election schedules. Yes they do, look at Madrid, 3/11!So I try and I scream and I beg and I sigh Just to prove I'm alive, and it's alright 'Cause tonight there's a way I'll make light of my treacherous life Make light! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #20 May 26, 2004 QuoteQuoteUm, no one. I don't recognize him as the Pres, I feel the election was a sham... Why was it a sham? Gore lost Florida any way you slice it or however many chads you count. Get over it. Well, gee! I feel much better now! Thanks, that help resolved all those questions I have about the missing votes and miscounts in FL. Let it drop? Have you been in FL lately? They are still talking about it down there and there are lawsuits and investigations connected to it to this day. Tutle - a report came out saying that after the bomb in Spain there could be more around the world tied to elections. I don't make this stuff up, I'm just repeating what the "experts" said. And we will continue to get more of these possible terrorist attack warnings. If Ridge knew about them and something happened without his warning the people/press/gov't would be asking for his head on a platter. With the warnings he is covering his ass and letting the cells know that we are on to them in the hopes of stopping their plans. So far, the warnings have been wrong - or have they? I'm sure we do not know all the details but the previous alert changes may have caused us to catch someone trying to do harm to this country. I don't have a problem with the warnings, I think it shows that GW's focus is in the wrong place._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #21 May 26, 2004 QuoteBo, I don't like GWB either but simply saying "he's not MY president" is just silly. He IS your president and it is NOT semantics? Take a breath man. I am relaxed. I don't not want to be blindly associated with that man and his misguided view of the world just because I am a natural US Citizen. Therefore, since I didn't vote for him, I do not want to be associated with him or his decisions. If this means that one day I need to help pay for a lobbyist to go to the Beltway and undo what this man has done, then I will do that. In the meantime, he is NOT my president. I am just stuck with a warmonger in office for a few more months._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Jib 0 #22 May 26, 2004 QuoteThanks, that help resolved all those questions I have about the missing votes and miscounts in FL. Let it drop? Have you been in FL lately? They are still talking about it down there and there are lawsuits and investigations connected to it to this day. Have I been to Florida.... Does living in Palm Beach County count? -------------------------------------------------- the depth of his depravity sickens me. -- Jerry Falwell, People v. Larry Flynt Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lawrocket 3 #23 May 26, 2004 No shit? We could be hit with a large terrorist attack? You know, I'll go out on a limb here and say that it's even possible that if the attack occurs, it could be in a large urban or suburban area, small town or rural area, or even an uninhabited location. I'd put 1000 dollars on it! My wife is hotter than your wife. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
PhillyKev 0 #24 May 26, 2004 QuoteNo shit? We could be hit with a large terrorist attack? You know, I'll go out on a limb here and say that it's even possible that if the attack occurs, it could be in a large urban or suburban area, small town or rural area, or even an uninhabited location. I'd put 1000 dollars on it! And there may be scattered and isolated thunderstorms that day as well. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
ChasingBlueSky 0 #25 May 26, 2004 QuoteQuoteThanks, that help resolved all those questions I have about the missing votes and miscounts in FL. Let it drop? Have you been in FL lately? They are still talking about it down there and there are lawsuits and investigations connected to it to this day. Have I been to Florida.... Does living in Palm Beach County count? Hmmm...maybe Ha, funny thing - as I was typing that response I thought about checking where you live before I posted that._________________________________________ you can burn the land and boil the sea, but you can't take the sky from me.... I WILL fly again..... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
